AMERICAN LEGISLATIVE EXCHANGE
COUNCIL TO MEET IN CHICAGO THIS MONTH HON. JESSE A. HELMS OF NORTH CAROLINA IN
THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES Friday. August 2, 1974 Mr. HELMS.
Mr. President, later this month a bipartisan group of
conservative State legislators from across the country will meet in Chicago at
a conference of the newly formed American Legislative Exchange Council- These
legislators are uniting to try to reverse the trend toward greater and greater
centralization of power in Washington. They will try to revitalize our Federal
system by strengthening State government. The Federal Government, in their view,
and mine, is not only too far re- moved from—and insensitive to—the problems of
education, taxation, welfare reform, crime, et al.; these legislators are convinced,
and I agree, that the Federal Government is the cause, all too often, of the
very problems which the States are called upon to solve. Worse, Federal bureaucracy
too often discourages action by the States and local governments. But reversing
the present flow of authority and power toward Washington, D.C., will not
likely be accomplished by action at the Federal level. It is the exception,
rather than the rule, when any level of government readily relinquishes even a
part of its authority. It is demonstrable that governmental powers have a
momentum all their own. Thomas Jefferson is credited with the precept that the
government is best which governs least. I wholeheartedly concur. I do not
believe that the cradle- to-grave paternalism of the modem welfare state was in
the minds of our Founding Fathers when they conceived the American Republic. It
is not from lack of compassion that conservatives favor limited government, but
from the deep-seated fear of the abuse of power. Surely, in this century, that
fear has been borne out. It is no cliche to say that a government big enough to
give us any- thing we want is big enough to take away everything we have.
Therefore, it seems obvious that decentralization of
government is the most fundamental and urgent task before us today. If ever
reform was needed in our public institutions, it is now; and the way to achieve
it is by the reversal of the trend toward big brother government.
Through a conservative legislative initiative, the
American Legislative Ex- change Council hopes to galvanize our State
governments into reclaiming for themselves the prerogatives and responsibilities
that were once theirs. This type of initiative and enthusiasm is sorely needed
at the State and local level to keep our Republic from sinking into the swamps
of economic and moral stagnation. I wish these fine State legislators every
success.
Mr. President. I ask unanimous con- sent that the
“Statement of Purpose” of the American Legislative Exchange Council be
presented in the Extensions of Remarks.
There being no objection, the Statement of Purpose was
ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: American Legislative Exchange
Council Statement of Purpose
We, as conservative legislators, believe that the unique
American Federal system re- quires close cooperation and consultation among
Members of Legislatures In the several States, and Members of Congress. That
belief springs from a conservative philosophical premise that nothing should be
undertaken by a higher echelon of government which can be accomplished by a
lower echelon and that individual freedom demands strict limitations on the
power of all levels of government.
We further believe that State governments are vital to
the continued success of our Federal Union and that the genius of our Constitution
is summed up in the primary clause which delegates residual powers to the
States and to the people in those spheres not specifically delegated to the
national government.
We therefore establish the American Legislative Exchange
Council:
1. To assist conservative
legislators In the States and In the Congress by sharing re- search information
and staff support facilities.
2. To establish a clearinghouse
for conservative bills at the State legislature level and to provide for a bill
exchange program.
3. To disseminate model
conservative legislation In all fifty State legislatures and among several
thousand legislators. Also, to promote the introduction of companion bills in
Congress and in the States, including resolutions on amendments to the Constitution
and State resolutions which memorialize the Congress to act in specific areas.
4. To improve communication
between conservative State legislators and Members of Congress.
5. To formulate conservative
action pro- grams and legislative initiatives which will help to promote
federalism by strengthening the position of State governments and to define
conservative positions on intergovernmental relations.
